Hosted by the Center for Relativity and Cosmology and University Honors Global Scholars, Troy University is welcoming its second Fulbright Scholar this year with the arrival of physicist Dr. Carolina Benone on Oct. 26
Benone will host a series of technical talks for CRC faculty and students focusing on compact objects, including the interaction of ultralight bosonic fields with black holes and the formation of boson stars. The second will explore analogue gravity in fluids, including recent experimental developments and the role of vorticity in modeling gravitational phenomena.
“We’re excited to have Dr. Benone visit us. Her work in gravitational physics overlaps closely with some of our research on electromagnetic fields around rotating black holes, so there are natural opportunities for scientific exchange and collaboration,” said Dr. Rakshak Adhikari, assistant professor of physics. “Bringing researchers like this to TROY helps connect our research with work being done elsewhere while giving our students the opportunity to learn directly from visiting scientists.”
Benone will also give a public talk about her Fulbright experience on Oct. 26 at 3:30 p.m. in the Troy Campus Library. On Oct. 28, she will meet with University Honors students to discuss her research journey and share insights into her culture.
“The Fulbright Program creates wonderful opportunities for academic and cultural exchange, bringing international perspectives directly to our students,” said Dr. Priya Menon, director of University Honors and Fulbright Scholar Alumni Legacy Ambassador. “We are especially excited to hear about research in the Amazon and the unique perspectives it brings to our understanding of Brazil. Collaborations like these enrich our students’ experiences and help build a more globally connected campus.”
Benone is now the second Fulbright Scholar the CRC and University Honors have welcomed together, following the visit of Dr. Jiri Minarcik in March. During her five-day visit she will also tour the Pioneer Museum of Alabama in the City of Troy.
A visiting Fulbright Scholar at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Benone holds a bachelor’s degree (2011), a master’s degree (2013) and a doctorate (2017) in physics from the Federal University of Pará, having completed a research period abroad at the University of Aveiro (Portugal). She is currently an Assistant Professor at Federal University of Pará, Salinópolis Campus. She is a recipient of a Research Productivity Fellowship (Level 2) from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development and an affiliated member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences.
Her research interests include general relativity, compact objects, field propagation in curved spacetimes, analogue models and alternative theories of gravitation.
